View source for National Association of Securities Dealers

The '''National Association of Securities Dealers''' ('''NASD''') was a United States self-regulatory organization (SRO) responsible for regulating the securities brokerage industry and overseeing the activities of broker-dealers. Established in 1939 pursuant to the [[Maloney Act of 1938]], an amendment to the [[Securities Exchange Act of 1934]], the NASD operated under the supervision of the [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] (SEC). Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization was created to promote ethical business practices, protect investors, and ensure fair and orderly operation of the over-the-counter (OTC) securities market.

The NASD regulated brokerage firms and registered securities representatives through rulemaking, licensing, examinations, market surveillance, enforcement actions, and dispute resolution. It administered qualification examinations for securities professionals, monitored compliance with securities laws, investigated market misconduct, and operated arbitration and mediation services for disputes involving investors and broker-dealers. The organization also developed and enforced standards governing sales practices, advertising, customer protection, and professional conduct throughout the U.S. securities industry.

One of the NASD's most significant achievements was the establishment of the '''National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations''' ('''NASDAQ''') in 1971. Nasdaq became the world's first fully electronic stock market and transformed securities trading by replacing traditional quotation methods with computerized systems. Although Nasdaq later became an independent publicly traded company under [[Nasdaq, Inc.]], its origins remain closely associated with the NASD's efforts to modernize and improve the efficiency of U.S. capital markets.

On 30 July 2007, the National Association of Securities Dealers merged its regulatory operations with the member regulation, enforcement, and arbitration functions of the [[New York Stock Exchange]] to create the [[Financial Industry Regulatory Authority]] (FINRA). The consolidation established a single self-regulatory organization responsible for overseeing broker-dealers in the United States. Through its regulatory innovations, investor protection initiatives, and creation of Nasdaq, the NASD played a foundational role in the development of the modern U.S. securities industry and the evolution of electronic securities trading.